How to set a lock message on the login window of your Mac

You can set a custom message to appear at the bottom of your login window.

The login window appears when you're logged out of your user account. Depending on your Security & Privacy preferences, it may also appear when you wake your Mac after sleep or screen saver begins. In the example below, "Welcome to my Mac" is a custom lock message.

How to set a lock message

Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu (), then click Security & Privacy.

Click and enter your administrator name and password.

In the General tab, select "Show a message when the screen is locked," then click "Set Lock Message".

Enter your message in the text field. Click OK.

Learn more

Your login window message might be different than the one you set if your IT department configured this feature from the command line, or used a configuration profile.